Tuesday, September 11, 2007

In an editorial in yesterday's The Seattle Times, FCC member Michael Copps (left), makes his case for democracy and against media consolidation that does not serve the public interest.

We have a system that has been buffeted by an endless cycle of consolidation, budget-cutting, and bureau-closing. We have witnessed the number of statehouse and city hall reporters declining decade after decade, despite an explosion in state and local lobbying. As the number of channels has multiplied, there is far less total local programming and reporting being produced. These days, if it bleeds, it leads.[snip]If technology and changes in the economics of the news business have made the old ways impossible, then we need to find new ways to develop a media system that can serve democracy.

Note: The Seattle Times is exploring the state of American democracy and the news media in a series of editorials and essays titled 'The Democracy Papers." The series began yesterday.

1 comment:

Watts22
said...

I do some work with NAB and I disagree with Copps' argument that corporate ownership is hurting media. When a market is highly fragmented between many independent owners, each one of them will broadcast the content that is most profitable. But when several stations in one market are afforded corporate resources, they are more likely to diversify content as there is no reason to compete against one another. This leads to more options for us, the listeners.

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